Ancient and Epic Tales: From Around the World
by Heather Forest (Author)
Booktalk: The BIG Picture
This multicultural anthology presents pivotal episodes from epic tales such as Gilgamesh, Beowulf, the Odyssey, the Ramayana, and more illuminating large-scale narratives that were passed on and preserved through the oral tradition long before being captured in written form by early scribes. (The publication of Epic and Ancient Tales completes the trilogy of Tales From Around the World that includes Wonder Tales and Wisdom Tales.)
#kidlit Writing Lesson: the small details
The introduction to this multicultural anthology explains why these ancient narratives have lasted for so long:
Heroic quests for victory, honor, wisdom, and order have long been threads in the fabric of epic tales. An enduring belief that there is more to reality than meets the eye pervades these stories and allows narrative space for mystical, supernatural, and otherworldly elements to intertwine with the logic of ordinary doings.
The next line in the introduction sounds like a description of the latest blockbuster films. What’s old is new:
Powerful human emotions and recurring themes of death, love, natural disaster, supernatural forces, and parallel worlds flow through the heart of these ancient narratives.
Why do we tell stories? The next paragraph gets to the heart of the matter:
Story listeners throughout history gained life lessons and leadership skills from vicariously experiencing how both the wise and foolish characters of popular adventure tales made choices and experienced the consequences.
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